Army Medical Cadetship

[Doctor who?]

Hi guys,

Just thought I'd share some knowledge for those of you interested in medical cadetships in the army... and answer a few of the questions.

30 medical cadetships are awarded each year (it used to be 50).

If you're graduating before 2012 I'm pretty sure they aren't doing cadetships for those years.

You have to do your F1 and F2 training with MDHU (military not NHS) hospitals.

You also have to complete AOSB main board which is the standard selection for a regular army officer. If you join as a qualified doctor you can do the AMS AOSB which is easier. The selection involves passing a 'briefing' day, then the AOSB (which is tough so don't even think about applying if it's not what you really want to do!!) and then after that a 40 minute interview with some of the top dogs of the RAMC.

If you pass you are paid roughly 14 grand in your 3rd year, 16 grand in your 4th year and 17.5 in your 5th year - however this is all taxable.

If your graduating in 2012 and haven't looked into a cadetship you might be disappointed. You have to go to an acquaint visit first and then start selection... once they have enough people they won't accept anymore applicants for that year.

On qualifying as a doctor (after F1) you owe the army 5/6 years of service - this is bloody difficult to get out of so think very seriously about it. This also means that your commitment ends halfway through your Specialist Training. If you choose to leave the army you are then looking at applying for an NHS training no. and placement (in otherwords an interdeanery transfer) - this is not guaranteed! If you stick with the army and complete your specialist training to consultancy you then owe the army another 3 or 4 years of service. There are huge implications to this - once you are a consultant you are likely to be deployed more often and for longer periods of time - you will also be in your thirties etc and may want/have a family... so being sent to Iraq at short notice is quite a big deal!

As a military doctor you will most likely work for two years as a general duties medical officer which means a delay in training... so you'll be 2 years behind your NHS peers.

While in specialist training you WILL be deployed. Fact. This will occur up to twice but no more and for 3 months maximum.

As a military doctor you are limited in choice of speciality... If you're thinking paediatrics, geriatrics, Obs and gyne, oncology - don't bother. If you're thinking plastic surgery etc. there are very very limited placements. Remember the armed forces need doctors to do specific jobs so their priority is not making you happy but filling up the specialities that are crucial with regards to soldiers... Think Emergency medicine, general surgery, psychiatry and GPs.

There is no obligation for you to join the OTC at university as it may interfere with your studies. Besides, once you get a cadetship you have to resign from the OTC as you can't be paid by both. It is still a very good idea to join in 1st and 2nd year to get a taste of what it's like and to get paid for having fun.

If I haven't put you off joining, then get off this forum and get in touch with the RAMC recruiting services ffs! They are very very helpful.

[UKUSUK]

As a military doctor you will most likely work for two years as a general duties medical officer which means a delay in training... so you'll be 2 years behind your NHS peers.

Would this apply if you left after your initial comittment (half way through specialty training), or only if you extended your comittment to include all of your specialty training?

Thanks

[Doctor who?]

From what I understand, you would do the two years as a GDMO before you started specialist training. This means you'd serve as a general duties medical officer after completing F2 and before starting ST training.

So regardless of how long you plan to stay in the army - you will work as a GDMO initially.

This doesn't apply to people who choose to join the army after completing specialist training in the NHS i.e consultants etc.

Hope this helps

For further clarification, check with the RAMC.

[Kichael]

Hi Everhopeful, I've been wanting to be a medical officer for years now.
I haven't got an offer yet, and knowing what applying to do medicine is like, might not get an offer at all. But when I get my offer sorted I will be getting on with the bursary and cadetship. I visited my local AFCO in September and they said I had to apply by 21 November or that was it for this year, and I would have to leave it until I was at University. Is this true?

There have been loads of people applying to medical school this year (30% rise to leeds) and apparently there are 4 applicant to every cadetship place this year (because of militia in the news, apparently), and I was wondering if they would select using grades? What do they use to select medics for the bursary and the cadetship?